Affordable Technology

Liz in the office of Affordable Technology was very patient. She carefully listened to my concerns. That was refreshing. She had to connect me with Brinks and she held on during the call so she would know I had good service from the DTS. She sent Chavez to my home a week before my appointment because he was able to fit in the visit. When he arrived, he was efficient and considerate as he worked with me to understand and resolve my concerns. Super glad to find people like this in the high desert.

Excellent customer service and excellent work.

Derrick and Jimmy were the most professional technicians I have had do work at my house. While dealing with the most complex troubleshooting problem, an intermittent signal fault, they were super resourceful and worked the task through to a successful conclusion. Very pleasant to work with and made you feel confident their skill set would get the job done. A true pleasure to work with.

All right this is *** and I just had *** G here to work on my system my security system he did a very excellent job he explained everything to me he worked for with us to get the best possible scenario for the work here we are pleased I am pleased with the price that I am paying and I thank you for their time.

Derek and Larry provided us with excellent service, Very efficient and knowledge. We would highly recommend them. Thank you!!

Derek and Larry were professional, friendly and efficient. Most appreciated!

Derick is very courteous and excellent in customer service. He explained and answered all my questions. I'm glad he's able to assist me and resolve my problems. Thank you so much.

Very professional, knowledgeable and efficient!

Derek was amazing. He did a thorough job and was very professional.... He made sure we understood exactly how to work the alarm system before he left.. Affordable technology is very lucky to have such an outstanding employee.

Fast and friendly. Resolved issues the last service tech couldn't. Thanks!

Great experience today with Derek installing my both cameras and upgrading my alarm system thank you Derek great job.

Excellent service really appreciated technician did a very good job with the installation very prompt thank

Really impressed with the service and professionalism.

My technician was professional and couteous,thank you Brinks

Very professional, helpful .

Good job, no complaints

Awesome service. Repaired and replaced system. Fully checked and tested system before left my house. Quickly identifed problem and resolved it. Answered all my questions. Very professional.

We had the best experience with Affordable Technology! Our technician was great, and did an awesome job installing it! I spoke to the owner as well, and he was very professional, and I had a great feeling we chose the right company for the job. It’s an awesome alarm system and it makes us feel very safe leaving, and being in our home. We are going to hire them again to install cameras outside, and home theater system in our living room. I highly recommend using Affordable Technology!

My experience with Affordable Technology, INC is not a pleasant one. I work in the Information Technology (IT) field for almost 2 decades and I have a Bachelors in information security along with other security certificates. When I decided to install a security system in my home I decided to purchase one out of pocket to avoid the security company owning and or locking me out my own system. Most if not all modern alarm panels have a protected area that is used to program the panel and add or remove sensors. You can access this area by typing a code called the installer code. The installer code cannot disarm the panel. The installer code is not shared to people using the system by default because, a typical user can mistakenly delete sensors or remove configurations necessary for the monitoring agency. The installer code is the equivalent of having the administrator account on your computer.
Since I purchased the panel myself I changed the installer code to a non-industry code. Whenever the alarm company needed to conduct work on the panel I would change it to a simple code (ie 1234) and give it to the installer. When the installer is finished I would change it back to a non-industry code. I do this because if someone who knows the industry code (literally thousands of people know the code and it can be found on the internet with some searching) they can remove a door or window sensor without my knowledge as long as they have access to my panel. For example if I was hosting a party someone in the house can go into the panel since it is disarm and using the known installer code to remove a sensor. That will allow the individual to bypass the security system without disarming it in the future. I have been changing my installer code on the panels I purchased out of pocket since 2011 after I discovered the flaw or vulnerability in this practice. Since then I have had several tech on site to do work or fix faulty sensors. This have never been an issue and since I own the panel they have no legal rights to lock me out of my own panel (the equivalent of someone restricting access on the computer you purchased).
I was having issues with my motion sensors and a doorbell camera in my house. My alarm (Moni) company contracted Affordable Technology, INC to service the faulty sensors and camera. The Affordable Technology, INC technician (Tech) missed our first appointment window because he was running late on a prior appointment, so we reschedule to the following Saturday. When he (Derrick) arrived he commence work on the camera. For trouble shooting he requested my WIFI password. I told him no, but I can enter it in when he needed it (giving someone your WIFI password (known as your SSID security key) is bad practice). He did not seem to like that answer but continue working on the camera anyway. He then requested access to the house to check the voltage on the door bell transformer. I told him I don’t know where it was and that the only place it could be that is easily accessed or seen, is in the kitchen next to the doorbell (the only place I have looks since it recessed in a drop ceiling). He then proceeded to go through my pantry, my laundry room, and my garage (after I told him it was not in any of those places). At this point I noticed he had an attitude (he still said “Sir” but his tone and body language was of someone annoyed that he did not get his way). He then deleted the camera from my account and broke the plastic screw (that was stripped) to allow him access to check the voltage from the back of the doorbell. There was nothing wrong with the voltage, so he plugged the doorbell camera backed. While he was waiting for the camera to reboot he notified me he will start working on the motion sensors.
While he was making his way to the panel I tried to tell him that I would have to enter my installer code. I believe he misunderstand and thought I was asking him if he need my master code (the code most users have that can disarm the panel). So he ignored me and proceeded to enter the industry installer code which did not work. It was then that I explain that I would have to enter my installer code. He then told me that I should not have the installer code for the panel. I explain that I purchased the panel myself and that it does not belong to Monitronics (Moni) and that I set my own installer code. He then asked if it was OK for him to set it to the industry code (which he told me (also very poor security practice to tell a customer the industry code that is used on most alarm panels)). I told him no, but I can set it to 1234 while he needed access to the panel. He said OK and I proceeded to change the installer code to 1234 for him and left the room. When he was completed replacing the sensors I went to the panel to change the installer code back to my own. The code that I gave him (1234) did not work. So I confronted Derrick (the Tech) and asked him if he against my wishes changed the installer code and he said he did. I asked him to change it back and he refused. I asked him to contact his manager and he told me to call the office. I told him again that I would like to speak to his manager and for him call them. He finally conceded and called his manager. He then explain the situation (leaving out that I purchased the panel myself and that before I gave him access the panel he agreed not the change the installer code) to his manager and before I got on the phone his manager was saying he did nothing wrong (it was on speaker so I was able to hear the manager comments before he realized it was on speaker). I then explain that I purchased the panel and that it did not belong the Moni. I also explain that his tech (Derrick) changed the installer code when I was not looking against my explicit wishes. His manager was trying to justify Derrick actions saying that I should not have the installer code and that it needed to be the standard industry code for the alarm company to monitor the system (which is incorrect). I explain to him again that the panel does not belong to Moni and that I purchased the panel myself. I also explain that I have had no issues with setting the installer code on the panels I purchased in the past and it caused no issues with monitoring. Derrick then went outside (I only assume so that I would not hear the conversation). At that point I closes the door and contacted Moni to report what happen.
What Affordable Technology, INC and its employee Derrick did was essentially disabling my access to settings in my own panel. What happen to me is the equivalent of taking your computer into an electronic store to have a program installed on your computer and the technician changes your administrator account password and refuse to change it back. Derrick actions was deplorable and sneaky. If he had reservation about me having access to the panel he should have first notified his manager that the installer code was different than the industry code and the home owner maintains the code. Then asked how he should proceed. Instead Derrick lied to me and changed the code when I was not looking. The fact that Derrick manager condone his actions is also revolting.